


braided bracelet

by AroAceStories



Category: Fire Emblem Echoes: Mou Hitori no Eiyuu Ou | Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia, Fire Emblem Series
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Aromantic Character, Aromantic Python, Gen, Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-18
Updated: 2018-06-18
Packaged: 2019-05-24 23:15:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14964068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AroAceStories/pseuds/AroAceStories
Summary: Written for Fandom Ace Fest 2k18, prompt: trope inversion/subversion.Shy aromantic reader meets Python."Thus far no one seemed to notice your identity on display. Not surprising; it was only an accessory, and few people knew what aromanticism was or its color scheme. Yet your pulse spiked each time someone glanced at it. It had taken months to gather the courage to wear it, and worry still pounded at the back of your mind."





	braided bracelet

The smooth threads of a braided bracelet rub against your skin. A tiny white heart was sewn into the strands. You’ve been fiddling with the green, black, and silver threads adorning your wrist since you left the house this morning. 

Thus far no one seemed to notice your identity on display. Not surprising; it was only an accessory, and few people knew what aromanticism was or its color scheme. Yet your pulse spiked each time someone glanced at it. It had taken months to gather the courage to wear it, and worry still pounded at the back of your mind. 

Were you ostracizing yourself by doing this? Would your identity be accepted? And even if it was, would anyone who recognized the aromantic colors accept you as a person too?

You knew you were overthinking it. It was just a bracelet. But it represented a part of you that you were desperate to embrace, and that was why you hadn’t taken it off yet. 

Walking into a grocery store, you keep your gaze glued to the floor and navigate through the familiar area. Once you reached the cereal isle, your gaze raised to scan over the colorful boxes. Someone with dark blue hair walked up beside you to glance over the items as well. 

Ah, there were the Cocoa Puffs. As an essential part of your morning routine, it had been devastating to discover the box at home was nearly empty, and it was only halfway through the week.

You reached up to grab it, and it wasn’t until your fingers bumped against someone else’s that you realized the other person had moved as well.

Flustered, you curl your fingers in but somehow your brain forgets that you should pull back your hand too.

…the man didn’t pull back his hand either.

In fact, he was scrutinizing your hand with a considering look. 

Oh God. Should you grab the cereal and go? Wait until he does something? Forget it and run off? 

As more and more questions rattled around in your head, you come to the abrupt realization that this isn’t unlike a typical scene in a romance movie–the one where two people, dictated to be each other’s love interests, accidentally brush hands and then look at each other as if they realized they had a romantic connection.

But your heart is pounding out of nervousness, not interest, and you pray he doesn’t think anything more of the accidental contact. Turning people down was always an awkward affair.

When his hand returned to his side and he turned his head to look at you, you hastily put your arm down as well, stared at the scuffed floor, and prepared apologies.

“Hey, is that an aromantic bracelet?“

Your head snapped up. Honestly, you had forgotten about it for a split second. 

The corner of his mouth ticked upward, and you can tell he already knew the answer. 

Then he curled his hand into a loose fist and held it out. “I’m aromantic too. I haven’t met many others, so it’s always cool to find another one.”

Surprise flared in your chest, and growing delight soon replaced it. You hadn’t expected this today, not at all. It felt surreal. 

His fist waited patiently. You raised your fist, lightly bumped it against his, and a smile stretched across your face.

“It is. Cool, I mean. I haven’t met another arom…aromantic in person.” You stumbled over the word, but he didn’t seem to mind. 

“The name’s Python. I hope I see you around.“ He pulled out his phone, glanced at the screen, and winced. “Sorry, but I gotta run. Forsyth’s chewin’ me out for taking so long.”

You only have time to nod and hastily wave goodbye as he grabbed a box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch and walked out of the aisle. You watched him go, and, once he was out of your sight, you realized your cheeks ached from how hard you were smiling.

Running a finger over your bracelet, you decided you’d wear it again tomorrow.

Afterward, you left the cereal section without what you went there for, and only after you reached the produce area did you notice. You hurried back, grabbed a box of Cocoa Puffs, and didn’t flinch at all when you noticed a teenager glancing at your wrist as you used the self-checkout.


End file.
